Further Travels
by Zombiebrainz
Summary: Link finally faces off against his mortal enemy, Ganondorf, but things don't turn out quite as planned.  GANONDORF x LINK  Rated T for time being.  Rating may go up.
1. Chapter 1

The room was quiet; deathly so. The great, massive windows that loomed above on the high walls displayed the dark, stormy sky outside; the ground below consisting of molten lava and wastelands. That was the view one would see from Ganondorf's Fortress, of course. Skulls and ash littered the beaten, black earth, but the young Hero of Time was from far from such an area.

Boots echoing as they thumped against the smooth, ornate gold flooring, the blonde winced in time with the sound. Blue eyes desperately tried to pick through the darkness to find his foe; at least _something_. The sword of evil's bane weighed heavy in his gloved hand, adjusted on the rare occasion, but mostly kept where it was; the tip close to the ground. The white blade seemed to emit a slight glow, though it wasn't enough to light the dark room. It couldn't even pierce through the cloak of shadows that threatened to swallow him up all around him.

As thunder rumbled and lightning streaked across the sky, Link spun. Sword snapping up to attention, his nerves were frayed as he breathed heavily and glanced about frantically. What good was he in this state of panic? With this shroud of darkness, Ganondorf could easily slice him in half and end it all. A frown firmly tugged at Link's lips at this thought. Then why hadn't Ganondorf done it already? Now was the opportune moment.

Link looked around the immense throne room; lightning briefly lightning it up but not long enough for him to spot the Evil King. He knew the older man was here; otherwise he wouldn't be feeling so anxious. A shiver ran down Link's spine at the terror-filled thought of being pounced upon from behind. Paranoid, he looked behind him; seeing nothing. Hyrule would be doomed if he failed in his mission. Who would become her savior?

"Greetings, Hero of Time," rumbled a terribly familiar voice with a cocky edge; sending Link spinning towards the sound. Feline-like eyes glinted from the shadows maliciously; the golden hue of the monster's irises shining like miniature beacons. Link firmed his grasp around his sword; ready to cut the gleaming blade through the man's very being.

"Ganondorf," he responded in turn; managing to steady his voice though it threatened to crack. All he could see were those malicious eyes; summing him up as to where Link could do no such thing. He couldn't see the King of Evil, but it felt like Ganon could see him. The man's heated gaze burned through clothing and flesh, seemingly seeing into his very soul and sending the Hero into a cold sweat. Heart constricted and chest tight, he tried to breathe normally. It was hard to ignore his fears.

While Link struggled to conceal his frights, Ganondorf was quite relaxed. Shifting the weighty gilded sword in his hand so that its weight was better balanced, he also took the time to observe the Hero that was meant to slay him. Even the slightest tremble caught his eye, though he could barely see through the darkness. But it was just enough to see Link; Ganondorf already accustomed to the shadows while the blonde still blindly stared into nothing.

A low chuckle was emitted and Link tensed up once more; bracing his shield against his chest as he readied for attack. ."You seem terrified, little Hero," Ganondorf noted with a touch of amusement in his tone. "Even through the shadows your trembling form is clear to my eyes." Link gritted his teeth at this remark; feeling the Master Sword slip a little due to the sweat permeating through his gloves. He adjusted its position before giving a sharp, biting remark in his own defense.

"Perhaps I am trembling from frustration? I come here expecting a fight to decide the fate of Hyrule, and you instead decide to banter?" growled Link, lifting the Master Sword a little. His weapon felt suddenly heavy, along with his shield; tense muscles not helping the circumstances. Ganondorf gave a snort of amusement; a humorous glint to his eyes.

"The dog has bite," the King of Evil remarked in mock surprise, Link's eyes narrowing with hatred. "Tell me, mutt, why is it that you pursue this journey?" Ganondorf promptly implored before Link could voice his offense. Eyes remaining narrowed and steadfast in their burning dislike for the King, the younger man snarled. "Because you will cause the destruction of this beautiful land if I don't! I can't let that happen!"

Ganondorf didn't seem to be satisfied with this answer; made clear by his expression when lightning crashed once more, the yellow electricity forking around the black sky. "But was it originally your decision to partake upon this mission?" Link frowned. That question seemed to shock him for the moment. He hadn't originally chosen to come along this journey. If anything, he had been quite happy to remain in the Kokiri Forest; his home. Even though he would soon have to grow up and leave, being a Hylian, he would have rather been there rather than here. But Ganon wasn't done speaking quite yet. "Did you choose to lose all those years of childhood, Hero? You are but a child in the flesh of a man."

Link bristled despite how true the statement was. It had taken nearly the entire journey for him to finally mature from his childish mindset, but even now he wasn't entirely adult. He was still ten at heart, and in mind. Despite the gained knowledge and intelligence over time, he felt lost in the world that bordered his Forest. Link's grasp on his sword loosened due to thought.

That was a grave mistake, for the moment this occurred; Ganon lunged. Brutally slashing upward, it didn't take much force from the stronger man to knock the Master Sword from the Hero's hand with his own blade. Surprised, Link gasped at the sound of the weapon spiraling through the air; painfully clear. The following noise of blade sinking into concrete announced that the Master Sword had embedded itself in the floor some distance away. While distracted with the loss of his sword, it didn't take much to wrench away the Hero's mostly useless shield. Now blatantly shivering with fright, Link felt vulnerable in the darkness. He didn't know where his sword was to fetch it, and even then, the King of Evil stood directly before him.

Link froze as he heard a blade be shoved back into its scabbard. Trying to see Ganondorf, Link could only see a little bit of him; his eyes only a tiny bit used to the shadows. Black armor with intricate designs kept him well-concealed in the darkness while protecting a broad, muscular body. When Link squinted in focus, he caught sight of a cocky smirk quirking the man's lip. "Not so fierce now without your toothpick of a sword, huh, boy?" chuckled Ganondorf darkly; eyes gleaming. Before Link could properly respond, most likely with a comeback, a hand suddenly wrapped itself around his throat; releasing a sputtering gasp instead.

Clutching at Ganondorf's grasp and struggling in vain, Link squeaked as the hand constricted; its hold firming itself around his neck. After a little while of thrashing and pushing at Ganondorf with no results, Link admitted defeat; acknowledging that the King was too strong to shove away with brute strength as he ceased. Beginning to see dancing colors in his vision as a lack of oxygen finally got to him, Link looked weakly at where the King was; at least able to see him better face to face due to Ganondorf holding him up. "So feisty," grunted the King, his tone dry. "A persistent pest like you should be exterminated."

Link shivered at the concept; still awake enough to understand what that meant. Death. To be killed after his long journey. After all that success, it was only meant for him to be killed? Tears prickled the backs of Link's eyes, but he couldn't find the energy to give one last struggle. The only thing he could do was hang loosely, like a rag doll, from Ganondorf's grasp. Shuddering at the thought of dying so early in life once more, Link listened as Ganondorf resumed speaking.

"And yet, you are the only one that could possibly provide a challenge. If you weren't prancing about, my empire would have been built and made perfect in a matter of days," Ganondorf added in observation, his grip somewhat loosened on Link's throat, but only enough to let the Hero breath in with a sharp gasp. "I could end your pitiful parade here and now. 'Hero of Time?' Bah! Nothing but a senseless puppet guided along by the do-gooders of society."

Ganondorf spat on the ground in contempt before sending Link a steely glance. The Hero tensed warily, enough blood flowing back up to his brain for him to realize the situation. He was vulnerable, and it would be unwise to give any wise-crack responses, even if that would be an 'honorable' way to go down as a fighter. Link would rather keep his life, and still be able to save Hyrule. Thus, he said nothing.

Ganondorf continued on after waiting several moments for the blonde to speak. Instead of waiting for Link to respond in remark, he posed a question so that he would have to. "Tell me, o Great Hero," Ganondorf began, his tone laced with disdain and containing a touch of sarcasm. "Was it you who decided to help all those people with silly tasks meant for a child? Why is it that you come here to my castle, to try and obstruct what I plan? For all you may know, I could make Hyrule twice as beautiful as it is now. I could serve as a god, and the people would live in prosperity."

A little frown ghosted over Link's lips. What Ganondorf said made sense, but how could he believe his words? He was the King of Thieves; wielding a skilled tongue that was trained in the art of lying. He couldn't be trusted. And yet…

Link swallowed hard; his mouth dry. "Yes," he mewed weakly, still having that constrictive hand at his throat. "I… I decided to do all those things… And I am doing what is right. You weren't meant for the throne." Ganondorf's eyes gleamed with rage, though they settled back down just as suddenly as he let loose a dark, unforgiving chuckle. Link shivered with fright.

"Heh. Still persistent in the false fact that you chose this destiny full of horrors?" Ganondorf clucked his tongue in chiding. "You are not one of the Goddesses; how do you know that I was not meant for the throne of Hyrule?" Link wisely kept quiet. He couldn't exactly prove his words, though he remained steady in his beliefs. Feeling a rising sense of uncertainty, Link merely dangled from the grasp of the stronger, larger man; hands clutching at Ganondorf's own hand that held him fast. Ganondorf carried on when Link remained mute. "Well, I will tell you this: I was practically born to be the King of this land. Not just the Gerudo Valley," growled Ganondorf, his voice throaty with a dark undertone. "I was born to expand the land, and to make Hyrule ultimate. A brilliant empire that could easily take over rivaling kingdoms; to broaden our territories. With myself in control, there would be more farmland, and more room for populations to grow and blossom. Perhaps, even, we would advance in our current state of intelligence."

The thought sounded quite good to Link. Ganondorf's words flowed like milk and honey, luring him away from his own beliefs towards the King's. But Link quickly struggled back to return to his former mindset; having difficulty with remaining on track. Seeing the confliction in the Hero's foggy blue eyes, Ganondorf smirked some more. Link was quick to correct what he figured the King was thinking; though he had to gasp a little for air.

"I will never change my mind," hissed the Hero, pawing at the thick hand that kept him suspended within midair. "Ne- Graagh!" Link gave a squeal of indignation as Ganondorf gave him a minor shake; rattling the Hero.

"Stop talking nonsense, boy," Ganondorf ordered sharply; Link dazed from being shaken so he just gave a weak nod as the Gerudian Thief went on. "If you think that the path you are taking is indeed the correct one, you are delusional." Ganondorf paused for a moment before giving Link a look of contempt; lightning streaking across the sky and bringing attention to the shadows that outlined the grooves of his face.

"Then again, you are nothing but a child. No adversary of mine should be so pathetic," scoffed the King, Link stiffening in offense. But he couldn't exactly voice his dislike, for Ganondorf tightened his hold once more to prevent Link from doing so. "It should be clear even to your own clouded, misguided eyes that you are not even close to being my equal. The only reason I allowed you to wander this far was for you to get stronger, and yet that didn't seem to be quite enough."

Link gasped gratefully as Ganondorf finally eased his steely grip, taking in large gulps of air; only to choke on them. "Pathetic," Ganondorf muttered again to himself; voice dripping with his hatred for the supposed Hero. Such a weakling.

Before Link had time to react, he was brutally thrown to the ground; stunned by the harsh impact. "Come back when you are confident, and ready," bit out the Gerudo; voice venomous. "Otherwise, I will not be so merciful in letting you escape." Link, just as he had straightened, watched in horror as the man he was supposed to kill summoned a great black hole; where it led unknown to the blonde. While Ganondorf stood at its side, the hole being just as large as he, Link felt its pull on his clothes. Of course, his hat was promptly torn from his head; flying into the black abyss. Ganondorf's expression was stoic; the room lighted up by the black hole's vivid, bright purple outlining.

The Master Sword, which had peacefully rested sunk deep in the floor, was wrenched from its place; spinning wildly as it was soon devoured by the hole. The last thing to go was Link, and Link was quite determined not to be sent to whatever place the abyss led. Gauntleted hands clawing at the floor for any kind of grip, his expression contorted itself into one of determination; and frustration as he lost the battle.

Finally, tired from clawing at the floor only to be stubbornly yanked back by the black hole, Link admitted defeat with a low grunt, and let go. There wasn't even enough time to react emotionally, whether by sending a silent, desperate prayer to the Goddesses or even feel a snippet of fear. It was only a matter of seconds before he went to the same place the sword of evil's bane and his hat had gone. Feeling as if he falling down a massive canyon and still falling, he managed to look up to where Ganondorf's castle was visible.

But the abyss was beginning to close, this made apparent when Ganondorf stepped in front of the hole; untouched by its pull as he began to seal it. The King wore a smirk as Link began to lose sight of him as the hole closed; still falling. "Don't come back until you are confident," echoed Ganondorf, and then everything went black. Throat too constricted to even allow himself a final scream, Link just subdued himself to whatever may come as he fell down, down, down…

**Author's Note:**

Hey, guys o3o Zombie here. This is my very first fanfic, and so, uh, I don't know what I should be saying xD This might be continued, depending on my mood and inspiration level. I just randomly started writing some time ago close to midnight, and this is where it got me. See any errors? Feel free to point them out, and I'll figure out how to fix it. P: I'm still learning my way around here~ Thanks!


	2. Chapter 2

"Aargh!"

Link writhed about in a panic, eyes clenched shut and teeth gritted. He expected to be falling to his death; empty air around him as he tumbled down an endless abyss… Problem was, he felt something rather solid against his back. Most certainly not empty air. Warily, he popped open an eye to observe what was going on; wasn't he still in that black hole? He was startled to find himself moving, his back resting on cool wood. Giving a squeal of surprise, though in the process feeling a little bit of his manliness escape him, Link flailed around, only to tumble head-first into icy water.

Shocked by the sudden cold, he sank like deadweight before realizing what was going on. He was… Somewhere; the body of water too vast to be Lake Hylia. One thing he _did_ know was that he was taking in water fast, and needed to get back up to air. Pawing at the water, he just barely managed to get above to the surface in time. Coughing up a few pints of liquid that had sneaked into his lungs, he shivered violently; wherever he was, it was frigid.

"Tryin' ta drown yerself, boy?" arrived a teasing voice, Link looking up tentatively to see what he had fallen from. A massive vessel with great, unfurled masts that flapped in the wind met his gaze; the emblem of a snarling wolfos in front of a pile of bones imprinted on the cloth. The hull of the body was a deep mahogany, and gave a deadly impression. Struggling to keep above the water with the massive boat churning the ocean, Link barely sputtered out a reply.

"Help?"

When finally locking his gaze on who had initially spoken, it landed on an almost elderly looking fellow; wiry with a hardened look to his gray eyes. The man chuckled, looking back to the rest of the crew on the boat to bark out an order.

"Lower anchors, boys! We have a guest tuday, and I guess we'll take a break." A roar of approval from the men on board met his orders, and a rope ladder was dropped for Link. "Get on up here; you'll catch yer death at this rate."

~x~

A pirate ship.  
>That was where Link currently was, as he discovered from the captain, the man that had let him up. His shivers turning into violent shudders from the aftershock of launching himself into the water, the captain fetching him a thick, cozy blanket before explaining what had occurred. The captain introduced himself as Arnold, though refused to say anything else in relation to himself; aside from the fact that the crew liked to call him 'Boss' rather than his real name, in case Link got confused by that. Link had mysteriously fallen out of the sky onto the stern, and narrowly escaped toppling into the water to his sure death.<p>

Some quick deckhands had jumped to the rescue and had dragged the unconscious Hero to a safer place to rest. They mentioned a hat and sword also having already fallen. The hat was rescued, and returned to its rightful owner, but the sword had burned the hand of the man that had tried to pull it in. The weapon's whereabouts were unknown; and that caused Link's heart to sink. How would he defeat Ganondorf without the Master Sword?

Arnold went on to say where exactly they were. Technically, they were in the Bay of Kreon, returning from the vast ocean, but were still within the kingdom of Hyrule. That gave Link a sense of relief, though he bit his lip tentatively when hearing that they were returning from exploitations of other kingdoms. Well, he couldn't really say anything about that. They were about to dock at a small port town call Naron and would leave Link there to do as he wished.

Clutching at the blanket wound about his shivering shoulders, Link adjusted his hat as it slipped down some. "T-thank you, for both the explanation, and saving me," he said politely to the captain; teeth clacking against each other as he shivered some more. Arnold gave him a toothy grin; displaying mostly pearly whites with the occasional golden tooth invading. "Anytime, m'boy. I'm not all that coldhearted," he chuckled, only to frown when hearing shouts on deck. That didn't sound too good, and it caused the Hero to cringe.

"_Monster_!" Link specifically picked out from the various cries that filled the air; but this yell was bordering on a scream. Arnold leapt to his feet, storming up above deck and Link cautiously followed; abandoning the blanket in his wake. It was a tad shocking, if not almost expected, to see what "monster" was causing the crew to freak out.

Floating safely above the ship was none other than Ganondorf himself; a thick mass of dark energy surrounding him and keeping him suspended within midair. Cape catching in the wind and flicking out behind the large man, the King observed the scrabbling crew with minor disdain, if only a dash of amusement lurking in his yellow eyes. But soon his gaze locked itself onto Link as the Hero revealed himself, and the man's once pursed lips spread into a broad grin. Link winced at the sight of such glee upon his foe's face.

"I had figured my portal had taken you here," mused Ganondorf brightly, Link grimacing. "Who is that?" Arnold asked in a panic, Link looking over at him grimly. "Someone who shouldn't be here," he replied simply before looking back to Ganondorf; the Hero wearing a haggard appearance. "What do you want now?"

A toothy smirk passed over Ganondorf's expression, and he held out a hand before him; the palm open and facing the boat horizontally. "You are missing something that makes you something more than everyone else," the demon thief purred silkily, energy in the shape of a sword forming before his hand. Link's eyes widened as the Master Sword appeared; though it floated length-wise in front of Ganondorf's palm. If the King were to touch it, his hand surely would be scorched.

"My sword!" Link gasped, and Ganondorf grinned big. "Ah, yes, the sword of evil's bane," the King remarked, glancing over the sword with hatred. "Too bad I am not as kind as to just hand it over… I want to see you struggle, of course." Reeling his arm back, the Master Sword followed his palm loyally, Ganondorf promptly sent it launching into the forest that covered the land that flanked the proud vessel. It vanished; the brief shine of its polished blade fading into the thick fading.

"NO!" Link tried to lunge over the side of the boat to get to his sword, but the crewmembers grabbed onto him so that he didn't go flying into the ocean. Ganondorf roared with laughter; finding amusement in the Hero's desperate condition as he struggled against the men. "But I can't exactly let you off that easy," noted Ganondorf, and faced the palm of his hand back towards the ship; this time vertically.

A thick mass of dark energy began to build within the palm of his hand, and Arnold then realized what was about to occur as the purple energy flashed and flickered. "Abandon ship!" Arnold bellowed, and the crewmembers, including an eager Link, flew over the side of the ship and into the roiling water below. Narrowly avoiding a mass of dark energy that slammed into the hull of the boat, burning away the polished wood, the crew was swimming for shore as the boat gave a heaving groan of defeat. Just in time for the majority of the men present to look back, the vessel gave one last creak before submitting; the ocean gobbling it up.

Link, sputtering as he dragged himself onto the shore, looked over his shoulder as he gazed at Ganondorf helplessly. The man still hovered in midair, his body facing the North.

"If you so wish to fight me again," Ganondorf called, his steeled eyes turning towards Link, though his body didn't move. Link tensed as he felt that cold stare slice through his very being. "Go to the farthest mountain top, where it is so cold that no wind blows. Or should I say so hot?" Link blinked; was Ganondorf speaking in riddles? But the man did nothing afterwards, merely hanging in the air as the energy ate away his figure until he vanished; swept off to some new destination as the crew coughed up water.

"Damn it!" Link swore suddenly after recovering, startling several men as his calm demeanor switched to raging as he staggered to his feet; sopping wet. His tunic was thoroughly soaked, his hat only clung to his head because he held onto it, and there were fish in his boots! Like a tantrum throwing child, he stamped his right foot multiple times in unison with his cursing. "Damn it, damn it, DAMN IT!"

The crew that hadn't remained in the water to flounder and drown hopelessly looked at him curiously. Arnold hobbled up; his bad leg (which Link had noted upon inspection of the captain, the limb twisted in an odd way) giving him a limp. "Link," he said sharply to get the Hero's attention, only to let it turn to something more soothing when the blonde looked to him helplessly like a lost child. "Whoever that guy is, I can tell ya you aren't gonna be able to beat 'em. He's too strong; he almost killed us all."

Arnold looked to the forest. "What was that he threw anywho? It looked like a real shiny sword…" Link's eyes widened in remembrance and he streaked off into the depths of the forest. His sword!

Stumbling desperately into the woods, he sought out the familiar gleam of the blade. All his eyes met were green foliage, and Link felt his heart weighed down by despair. "Where did he throw it?" he asked himself as if doing so would supply the answer; looking around anxiously. Arnold stumbled after him, watching as Link dug around through the sticks and leaves.

"He threw it here somewhere, somewhere, somewhere," Link chanted as Arnold observed from behind; peering over his shoulder. Arnold gave a slight frown as Link seemed to be nearing the breaking point when it came to stress level. "The crew can help look, ya know," Arnold suggested helpfully, not liking to see the Hero in such a state. Link paused in his pawing of the grass to look at up gratefully at the captain. "Really?" The man nodded, and then began giving orders.

Within a matter of minutes, one of the scavenging men gave a cry. "This it, Boss man?" Before Arnold could even respond, Link was off like a shot. The crewman was trying to reach out for the Master Sword, but Link deftly swatted his hand away. "Careful," he warned as he took the blade instead. "It will burn you if you aren't me."

The man blinked, seemingly not believing such impossible words but went along with it. Arnold soon wobbled up, inspecting the gleaming sword with an expert eye. "Mighty fine sword ye got," he informed Link with a touch of awe, looking over the sapphire hilt as the Hero slid the Master Sword back into its sheath. Link smiled with pride, even though technically the sword was not his. The sword belonged to Hyrule and the Goddesses, and Link could stake no claim upon it.

Only to promptly take it back out of its sheath lovingly, Link testily swung it to make sure the blade was otherwise unharmed; grinning when finding it perfect. His grin faded as he remembered Ganondorf. The farthest mountaintop? How would he get there? He sighed, having no idea as to where that even was.

Link turned towards the north, and was surprised to see once frigid, snow capped mountains surrounded by a thick, dark magic. The energy soon parted, and revealed instead of snowy mountains, but monstrous dunes in the shape of such. A vicious sandstorm promptly took the energy's place; obscuring view of the mountains themselves as it licked at the sky.

"Whoa…" gasped Arnold, taking the words (well, word) right out of Link's mouth. Of course, Ganondorf wouldn't leave the mountains as they were. He was a desert man. What about the people that lived there? Were they even still alive? Link gritted his teeth at the thought, quickly discarding it before he got too hasty and ended up marching off to fight Ganondorf. After that last failed attempt, he'd rather not go and get his butt whooped again. Hadn't the King warned him that next time would be death? Link shivered, this time not because of the cold, and looked over at the crew.

All of them, including Arnold himself, looking despairingly at where their ship had once been. Link felt guilt constrict his chest; putting a stone of misery in his stomach. "I'm sorry," he murmured, any of the previous joy of finding his sword long gone; washed away by reality. "This is my fault…"

Arnold sent him a sharp look, quickly recovering from his depression. "Wipe that sappy look off yer face, boy," he barked, startling Link from his guilty revere. "We can find ourselves a new vessel. Losing that ol' girl don' hurt nothin', right boys?" Turning to his crew, Arnold rallied the men; and soon they were cheering whole heartedly. Link blinked; how could they get over their sadness so quickly? Maybe they knew better than to linger over a lost cause.

Link wished he could let go of things as easily.

Returning the Master Sword once more to its scabbard, Link watched as Arnold gave orders to the men to head to the nearest town; being Naron. The captain looked back to Link, and gave him a toothy grin. "Good luck to ya. Our prayers go out to ya and yer journey; don't get killed. Get strong." Touched by the pirate's kind words, Link smiled back and nodded; dipping his head a little out of respect. "Thank you; I don't know how I'll ever repay you." Arnold chuckled, starting off after his crew surprisingly quick despite his leg. "Don't need to, we'll go rob a bank instead." Link didn't know if he was being serious or not; but it was too late now, seeing that the men were long gone.

Shaking his head, Link headed off to go find a place where he could call Epona. He didn't favor the idea of traveling everywhere on foot; he would get tired much too quickly.

~x~

After doing a bit of walking, Link located Naron to rest in for the time being. The crew wasn't there, so he supposed they went elsewhere. He called Epona up, and the horse only took half an hour to arrive; probably a good distance away. Once giving the mare a loving bath and paying an inn to let them both stay for a good break, Link decided that it was best to rest for a short while. If he jumped right into things, then he wouldn't get anywhere. Staying at the inn for the next two days to gather his strength, he rested from his weary journey and "fight" with Ganondorf.

Epona was also rested by the end of it, and Link decided it was a good time to start off. Saddled and ready, the big mare snorted as Link gave her a light pat on the neck; the horse eager to get moving. Without a word, he swung into the saddle, and Epona, once he had settled, bolted off. Time to start this new adventure.

**Author's note:**

AND THUS ENDS CHAPTER TWO. Ohhh boy, my fine readers, I am tired. It is nearing two am, and I am surprised that I am even still up. Whew. Reviews are loved and all that fun stuff. As a side note, so you all know, this is all magically working itself out in my head as we go along; I have no true, set plot in mind. SO LET'S SEE WHERE THE CRAZINESS LEADS US YEAAAAH. –breathes heavily- And before I forget… Like I had mentioned before in the summary, this story contains a mixture of TP and OoT, along with some AU things. The AU things being minor OC's that will have no true meaning aside from assisting Link in his quest (like Arnold) and most likely some very few, but major, things that will pop up. Because I am more knowledgeable of OoT rather than TP (fff, I haven't truly beaten the game, but boy have I learned a lot from YouTube and other fanfics), so you will find more references to OoT rather than TP. Monsters from both games will emerge, and essentially, both Ganondorf and Link have their TP designs going on rather than their outdated OoT versions. Just so you all know :3 Uhh. Chapter three is in the making, and I have already babbled on waaaay too long. So, I'll stop this note here, and I'll add in any other important details in the next chapter. LET'S SEE HOW LONG WE CAN MAKE THIS LAST, MY HOMESLICES! PEAAAACE!


	3. Chapter 3

To begin this 'adventure' of Link's, the blonde decided to try and figure out how exactly he would rise in strength. The Temples were still at peace, though monsters still roamed the lands due to Ganondorf's continued rule. At least the Princess had been returned to Hyrule Castle… Or had she?  
>Had Ganondorf taken her to his lair?<br>To be honest, Link hadn't remembered seeing her in the massive room within the crystal the King of Evil had entrapped her in.  
>A frown creased the Hero's lips and his brows furrowed with worry.<br>She should be there.

Still traveling, Link looked up; his eyes meeting the full moon that leered down. Epona emitted a restless snort as she slowly walked along; the mare feeling antsy.  
>"Shh," Link soothed as he rubbed her neck encouragingly, though the attempts at comfort did little to stop the anxious horse's worries. Wandering through foreign land wasn't the best thing for either rider or steed; especially when Hyrule Castle was so far away. Towns with exotic names that were easy enough to pronounce, but not having enough status to catch his eye flew right over him. He'd stop occasionally to rest; bumping into the few travelers there were and learning more about this area of Hyrule. It was very far from the capital itself, but prosperous either way. Word of a new kingdom had even been arising, and that is what caught Link's interest.<p>

A tyrant with power beyond imagine was apparently starting it up, and Link had the feeling that it was Ganondorf.

But he was proven incorrect. A different man under the alias of Ryn was the tyrant king, and when asking about Ganondorf, the traveler had given Link a confused look. Perhaps was spreading its gnarled fingers everywhere, and Ganon wasn't the only one wreaking mayhem.

Thinking, Link ran his fingers through Epona's thick mane. At least Ganondorf hadn't been doing much ever since their last encounter. He was most likely gathering his strength for when they indeed dueled again.  
>Link shuddered at the prospect of facing the man again.<p>

Sighing, Link sagged a little in the saddle; weariness overcoming him.  
>"Let's stop for the night, girl," he murmured, and Epona gladly obliged. Bringing the horse to a halt, he slid off of her back to set up a temporary camp. Eventually, both were sound asleep; Link's dreams without any significance, even as a pair of eyes observed from the shadows.<p>

**Author's Note:**

Goodness, it has been awhile since I updated D; Sorry to those who are reading this! I decided to keep this chapter short as I work out plots details and what direction I will be taking this. I have a part of chapter four already typed up, but that'll probably take a short while to finish. Thank you for your patience! Everyone gets snickerdoodles for paying attention to my indecisiveness, yaaaay~ -confetti everywhere-


	4. Chapter 4

Link rode Epona hard to a town known simply as Lune. He did not truly care as to what it was called; he just wanted to get back to Hyrule as soon as possible. He needed to discuss this newfound threat with Zelda before Ganondorf ended up conquering the lands beyond his mountaintop. Link shivered as he rode along, wishing that he had a cloak on hand. But all he had was the tunic he wore, and the spare cloth to patch up said tunic that was stuffed away in Epona's saddlebags. He'd look ridiculous if he tried to wear random bits of fabric for warmth.

With this thought in mind, he instead decided to urge Epona a little faster. The quicker he got to this town, the quicker he could get warmed up. Despite his coaxing, the mare didn't comply to go faster. Instead, she acted skittishly, starting to even come to abrupt halts before reluctantly picking up the pace again when Link dug in his heels. Whenever she would stop, her eyes would roll, an obvious sign of her distress as she stamped her hooves and nickered with anxiety.

Finally, Link couldn't handle waiting to see whatever was bothering his steed to emerge. Giving a light tug on the reins with an added, "Whoa, girl" as he brought Epona to a complete stop, Link nimbly slid off of her back. The rusty-red colored mare threw her back her head, a white froth developing at her muzzle from churning saliva mixing with sweat from running as she gnawed the bit in her mouth. Frowning in puzzlement, Link reached out to pet her soothingly, only to hear a familiar grunt from the shadows, which soon was followed by a string of low gibberish. Whirling, drawing the Master Sword from its sheath, Link narrowed his eyes at the Stalfos that revealed itself, the broad sword in its boney hand flashing in the dim sunlight. How had a Stalfos gotten all the way out here?

Link didn't think they were the most travel-ready creatures, nor very fast. It had clearly managed to keep up with Epona, though, so maybe he was wrong. Concealing his surprise well behind a mask of indifference, the Hero slipped into a fighting stance, sword glinting in the sunlight as it was adjusted. The Stalfos seemed to ignore this, its fleshless jaw working away at some invisible treat, teeth grinding together senselessly. Link's already developed frown sunk lower when he noticed the eyes of the thing. Wait, could they even be considered eyes? More so an intense glow coming from empty sockets. Nonetheless, what he saw was disturbing.

Rather than the usual red, what leered back at him was a vivid blue, churning angrily like a stormy sea, with two twin pinpoint white dots for pupils in the center of each 'eye'. The Stalfos hissed as it moved forward, boney feet clicking lightly as they stepped forward. Link was startled from his observations when the Stalfos lunged with little hesitation at all.

Link moved for his shield, but then remembered that he no longer had it. It had to have still been at the empty throne room, for it had not been swept away by the black hole. Cursing his foul luck, the blonde stepped back before he would have been cleaved in half, the Stalfos accidentally lodging its sword into the earth in the process. Frustrated with this outcome, the skeleton proceeded to desperately tug at the weapon, and Link jumped forward to end it all with a quick slash at the neck.

But the Stalfos seemed to realize this, smoothly leaping back before Link could make his hit. Blinking, the Hero stared at the empty air where his foe had once stood before looking up at his adversary. He wore an expression of shock, not bothering to hide it from view this time. When had Stalfos become so intelligent? He had thought that they had no tact in battle, aside from blocking with their round shields and lashing out with their hefty swords at random intervals. When their swords got stuck, they tried to get them out no matter what; they didn't pay attention to Link when he moved to finish them off.

To sum it up, they were just simply mindless drones, more monsters to pick off without a second thought.

But what was this one…?

"What are you?" snapped Link, voicing the question he had just previously thought as he glared at the ever-grinning Stalfos, the jaw somehow able to contort itself to give it a smug look. {Why so quick to anger, Hero?} cooed the Stalfos, using nonexistent vocal cords as its words flowed like honey. Link's eyes widened. Only one man called him 'Hero', and only one man had a voice such as that. Before he could call the Stalfos out, it darted past him. Shocked, he whipped around just in time to narrowly avoid being cut into bits.

"Ganon-!" Link began to bite out, only to stutter to a halt. The Stalfos had returned to normal, its eyes their natural hue once more, and the only thing coming out of its mouth being grunted gibberish. Had that all been a part of his imagination?

Scowling, Link growled before he moved to finish the Stalfos off. No, it couldn't have been. Ganondorf was toying with him!

Without that abnormal intelligence, the cackling Stalfos had been dispatched within seconds. Shoving the Master Sword back into its scabbard, Link turned back to Epona. The mare was still uneasy, but was not as upset as she had once been. Glancing back to the slowly disintegrating Stalfos, Link pursed his lips. Ganondorf was plotting something. Was he trying to make him go mad? Or provoke him so that he'd meet a premature death by marching off to his castle in the mountains?

Probably both.

Shaking his head, Link swung himself into the saddle. Clucking his tongue and tapping his heels against Epona's sides, he allowed the mare to go at a slower pace. After that incident, she needed some time to calm down. Alongside the fact that Link didn't want to get thrown off if she were to bolt out of fright.

~x~

During his travels to Lune, Link felt a creeping sense of paranoia easing up his spine. Bats that looked close to Keese, but not quite, fluttered about above. They perched in the trees like birds and watched him with their beady eyes, tiny teeth gnashing together with eagerness. He even thought once or twice that he heard his name called from the direction of the bats. The voices that called were high and had an almost comical squeaky pitch, but when Link turned to look for the owner of the voices, all his blue eyes met were the cold stares of over twenty bats.

He was sure that they followed him and maybe even brought a few more of their friends each time. The damned creatures grew in numbers, from ten to twenty, to even forty at one point until he had threatened them off with his bow and arrow. He even thought he saw one with eyes nearly as clear as ice themselves, yet burning with an all-too familiar intensity.  
>Watching, waiting…<p>

Link shuddered and shifted back to face forward on Epona, the mare whickering softly out of anxiety. He reassuringly rubbed her neck.  
>"We're almost there, don't worry," he murmured into her ear, though the mare showed no change in demeanor as she trotted onward, the bats continue to watch with unblinking eyes.<p>

**Author's Note:**

Another day, another chapter. … Or should I say another couple of weeks? ;^; Sorry for the lack of updates, guys! I admit, in the beginning I was just stalling because my brain died, but with school back in session, I am _swamped. _ Crazy stuff, man. Darn math. –shakes fist- Anywho, thanks to everyone who has reviewed thus far, you guys are awesome! C: The same goes to those who are following and have favorited this. If you guys weren't about, I most likely would have just ended this at the start xD And, to say it outright, I have no idea what pairing in particular will be in this fanfic. I'll admit, I tend to lean towards homosexual fanfics (or yaoi, I just feel odd using that term). Just as a warning, but you never know! I might just surprise you all. Anyways, I'll end this note here before it gets too long. Next chapter is actually in the works, so hopefully it'll come sooner. Thanks!  
>~ Zombie<p> 


	5. Chapter 5

The image of Link urging Epona onward flickered and wavered in midair, like some kind of near-transparent projection. Whenever the Hero's mouth moved, no sound could be heard, but obviously he hadn't become mute just by his behavior. He didn't act surprised or frightened, and carried on about his business obliviously as Epona soundlessly snorted and stamped her feet to ward off the chill. The focus on the boy and his mount shifted to look at the bat that sat nearby, balancing upright rather than hanging downward on the tree branch. This sudden change in image was clear enough to show that this was no normal projection. It was a direct transmission from the very eyes of the blue-eyed bat that had been so diligent in following Link. All the other bats carefully kept close to it in efforts to avoid having attention drawn to the magicked creature, but Link had already noticed.  
>It was pointless.<p>

The image suddenly flickered into oblivion to reveal smooth, black granite walls and swirling pillars of deep maroon and black rock. The rich white-flecked gray tiling reflected the dark ceiling and soon the image of a man was made apparent. A large man that was quite a familiar figure by this point.

Ganondorf stood a short distance away from where the image of Link had once been, the magic used to project such a thing still shimmering in the air. The Gerudo king smirked to himself as he contemplated his findings all alone in the immense throne room. Link was trying to travel to Hyrule, it seemed, and it was easy enough to assume that his reasons for doing so were to discuss the dilemma at hand with the pesky princess. If he had wanted to speed up the process of his plans up, he would have allowed Link to do this without bothering him. But Ganondorf wasn't such a kind man, and it had become quite entertaining to him to harass the blonde prodigy. In fact, he viewed this as a fun little _game _by this point.  
>The stunt with inhabiting the body of the Stalfos to bother Link had kept him amused for only so long, but now he <em>truly <em>wanted to see that brat writhing.

Sharp teeth bared in a devious snarl of a grin, his gloved hands clenched as the sound of leather rubbing against leather echoed around the room. Silence met the movement as Ganondorf let loose a low chuckle, his eyes bright with excitement.

What a fun little game he was playing.

"Let us see how you fare against my little tricks, O great Hero," he murmured to himself with a mischievous gleam entering his eyes. He turned on his heel, looking as if he were walking back to his throne, though with each step his form was slowly eaten away by shadows until he vanished completely. Link had better prepare himself.

~x~

It had taken another half-day, but Link soon arrived in the prosperous town of Lune. Lune was a place of trade, just like the port town he had been previously left at by Arnold. But it was much bigger, though not quite large enough to be considered as immense as a city. As he slid off of the back of Epona, it was easy to see that one could get lost in the crowd. The market place was bustling with early morning activity, and from what he heard, it got worse towards noon. Gossip flew up in bits and pieces as house wives gathered about to chatter during their errands, the husbands out tending the farms or taking care of other business.

Unable to resist eavesdropping as he led Epona on, Link paused when hearing one particularly juicy snippet.

"Did you hear about the great Ganondorf rising again?" one lady whispered to another, only to receive a disbelieving look. "I haven't heard about that fellow in ages, surely he is dead by this point," she scoffed, though she frowned as the first speaker rapidly shook her head. "No, no he is still alive! From what I heard, he is planning to go to that one city, Amber… Amber…" She seemed to forget for a moment and her companion patiently waited until it came back. "Ah, yes! Amber Gates!"

Her friend looked even more dubious, if not with a touch of surprise this time around.

"_Amber Gates?_ That city is one of the largest in the country, why in the world would he bother with it?" The woman shrugged. "It is just something I heard. Maybe he has some errands there; I also heard that he travels from town to town to manipulate good folk into seeing his ways. But, that's just what I got from the grape vine."

The conversation drifted to something much more trivial, something about how to remove stains from cloth, but Link's mind was already racing. Amber Gates? Another place he hadn't heard of, though he felt a touch of panic. What if Ganondorf was going there to burn the city to the ground? With that violent nature of his, he surely was planning to tear that place down. Though his objective had been previously to go straight to Hyrule, Link couldn't bear the thought of so many dying. He could prevent this. Or, he could at least get Ganondorf to leave the city alone.

Epona snorted and gave a shrill whinny of irritation when her master began to space out, causing Link to come back to reality. Shaking his head free of his contemplative thoughts, he glanced over at the agitated mare. He gave her a serious look, but when she returned it, he couldn't resist a smile. Rubbing a gauntlet-clad hand over her muzzle, Link's eye brows furrowed with thought.

"Come on girl, we need to get some directions to this Amber City place."

Epona didn't seem to realize what he was saying, but appreciated the fact that they were moving away from the noisy crowds. She didn't like loud places; they made her skittish and afraid. Like when that bothersome Stalfos had taken off in pursuit of them, but then again, it had been quite silent. But that silence had definitely spooked her badly.

Leading the horse off in the direction of the closest inn, the pair of gossiping women paused in their conversation to peer over at him. Just for a split second, identical smiles of dark intent crossed their faces before fading, the two resuming their conversation as if nothing had ever happened.

~x~

The inn owner had been kind enough to write down some instructions on how to get to Amber Gates after Link gave him a befuddled look when the owner had tried to explain where to go. He even pitied the blonde so much that he gave him a slight discount on the room he planned to rent, and let Epona stay in the stables for free. Well, the latter might have been because he just liked the pretty mare, but Link would let that slide.

Currently having the paper clasped firmly in his hand, the Hero sat on the edge of the soft bed within the room he had rented as he read over the instructions for the hundredth time. Head north until the tall, thin trees turned thick and gnarled with age. Then, head west and stop at a brook. From there, if he were to head south nonstop, he would reach the city. After the owner had finished writing this, he explained that Amber Gates wouldn't be hard to be missed. Its namesake, being the beautifully wrought iron gates at the front, made it quite noticeable. Alongside its monstrous walls that protected its people and the general sound of people going about their day, it would be difficult not to see it in the middle of the wilderness.

The guards were sure to wave him on in, the owner also had added. They had tourists frequently of all types, though then the fellow had murmured that it was a disadvantage to them too. They weren't as on guard, with as many visitors as they got. Amber Gates never assumed that they would be under attack any time soon and thus allowed in even the most suspicious of characters. That had made Link's stomach completely drop.

Ganondorf would be able to make his way in without even the use of his magic, and the people would just welcome him with open arms. That was a bit sickening, as he thought about it. It was like hugging your own demise with acceptance.

Even as he sat on the bed the young man shuddered with horror at the thought. He would leave immediately in the morning, no doubt at all.  
>He couldn't take a breather just because he was tired or didn't feel like it, not when lives were at stake.<p>

Glancing out the window to see the sky already pitch-black with night, the Hero gave a sigh. Sleep was a requirement though, because otherwise he'd be dozing in the saddle. Folding up the paper carefully, he set it on the nightstand, where he knew he wouldn't forget it. Removing his boots and striping himself of his tunic, Link ran a hand through his hair as he shook his head, thinking over how much he had on his plate right now. Quite a lot, if he dared say so himself.

Deciding to abandon his worries in turn for sleep, he snuggled deep into the warm blankets of the bed, drifting off within a matter of seconds just from weariness.

~x~

As he had promised himself the previous night, Link awoke at the crack of dawn and dressed himself to go. Leaving some extra rupees on the counter to repay the owner for his generosity, he shivered a little at the early morning chill. Dew still clung to the grass as his boots collected the wetness, quickly trotting off to the stables. Epona didn't seem as appreciative as the day before when she was roused from her sleep with soft, gentle words and a caressing hand on her neck.

Link felt a little bad for making her wake up so early when she had been worked so hard the past few days, but he couldn't wait any longer.

Leading her out of the stables after saddling her, the young man placed one boot in a stir-up and hoisted himself onto Epona's back. Clucking his tongue, the mare snorted and shook her head, forelock splaying itself out into her eyes, before immediately going into a canter towards the forested area beyond Lune.

~x~

It had taken many hours and quite a bit of navigating, but Link finally found his way to Amber Gates. Just as the owner said, it wasn't hard to miss.

The city was massive, so large he almost thought it dwarfed Hyrule's capital. He could only gawk at how large it was, having never visited such a place before. Several guard towers resided on the large, continuous wall that encircled the city, interrupted only by twin, monstrous gates of iron the color of gleaming amber and embedded with various jewels. A pair of guards stood out front and were allowing in newcomers with friendly smiles, Link urging Epona onward. He was so caught up in the sight of the city that he just barely registered a large man cloaked mostly in black carry on through, one of the guards addressing him with warmth, as he had done with the other newcomers.

But he seemed to have asked for the man to lower the hood that hid his head and face, for soon enough the fellow's identity was revealed. Link paled at the sight of Ganondorf, grinning back at the guard.

He braced himself for the guard to recognize the Gerudo and all Hell to break loose, but instead, the guard laughed a little at a joke Ganondorf had made and waved him on through.  
>Link's stomach dropped instantly like a stone, feeling horror twist its thorns around his heart as people carried on in. They were so unknowing, so unknowing of the very terror they had let into their city.<p>

Finally recovering from his shock, Link firmly grasped the reins and shaking them hard.  
>"Giddy-up!"<br>Epona responded loyally as she leapt forward without any consideration of her own weariness, rocketing off for the steady group that trickled into Amber Gates, Link's thoughts swathed with saving the city from Ganondorf without possibly thinking about what other plans Ganondorf might have.

**Author's Note:**

Yay for chapter five! xD; Finally I have managed to get around to this bad boy. Life has been so busy it is amazing that I even managed to get back to it at all. But yes, here I am and it turns out that no, I did not permanently vanish. I am going to try and see this fanfic through if it is the last thing I do! While I was off being busy and such, I was thinking about the pairing for this. I think I might end up favoring the Ganondorf/Link idea considering that yes, there isn't much of it out there. Plus, with the ways things are going, other characters are most likely not going to be incorporated as much as these two x) What do you guys think? Anyways, I need to stop blabbing my head off. Let us hope I can write the next chapter faster!

~Zombie


	6. Chapter 6

Epona's hooves clopped loudly against the rough, worn cobblestones of Ambergates as Link rode her slowly into the city. The place was bustling with activity, people going about their daily business. Merchants shouted, women gossiped, children played while men discussed current events. As his blue eyes hunted through the sea of ever-moving bodies, he was dismayed that even Ganondorf's tall, broad form was hidden. The Gerudo man was so large; it was baffling that Link couldn't see him anywhere. Looking around some more hopefully, as if thinking that perhaps his eyes had deceived him and that in reality, the thief was most certainly within sight. Alas, this wasn't true, leaving Link at a loss as to what to do. Epona breathed deeply, still worn from the hard gallop to the city itself, her ears drooping to the sides of her head as she plodded along. The Hylian looked down at his once energetic steed, deciding that maybe they both deserved a break. Stress was putting a strain on the hero and it was passing onto Epona, which he hated to see. She hadn't asked to take on his burden.

As a pair of giggling children skittered past the mare's forelegs, Link made a decision as he gently soothed Epona, stroking her soft, albeit sweat-soaked, neck. He'd leave his horse at a stable and go through the city on foot. This place, while larger than Castletown, surely wouldn't be any more intimidating. He had braved great forests, deep lake depths, even ventured into a volcano! A manmade city surely couldn't bring him to fright. Feeling confident with this silent boost, Link decided it best to keep to the saddle, seeing that getting off of Epona to walk, while giving her a break, would only result in being pushed and shoved in the churning people. Clucking his tongue to provide the encouragement needed to get his horse into gear. Epona's head bobbed a little as she chewed her bit, weaving through the crowds with ease.

It took seemingly years to make any distance, Link feeling as though he and Epona were swimming through molasses, but soon he saw an inn. People flowed in and out of its open doors, the welcoming aroma of pastries wafting through. His stomach gave an angry growl, as if scolding him for having not eaten the majority of the day. Mouth watering at the tempting smells, Link shook his head as if to discourage such thoughts. He could get a bite to eat while he scoured the city thoroughly for his enemy. For now, he was focusing on Epona.  
>Guiding her onto the path that led back to the stables, he slid off of her back. One of the stablehands gave him a curious look, his attire foreign to the area, alongside the fact his horse looked like she had been running for days on end. Link, sheepish and a little guilty for Epona's condition, quietly dropped some rupees in the boy's hand, that enough motivation for him to gently take Epona's reins and lead her off. The rusty-colored mare didn't give any protest, so tired that she didn't mind parting with Link with this stranger.<p>

Forlornly, Link watched this for a long moment before setting his jaw in a determined look, brushing back blonde hair as he readjusted his cap. Turning on his heel, he set off, a man on a mission few would take. But if it meant saving Hyrule, he was willing.

~x~

Unsurprisingly, Link's false hopes of the city being easier than Castletown to go through had been dashed. At this time of day, sifting through this crowd of people was a pain in the neck. By the time the sun was dipping closer to the horizon, he found himself slumped down in an alleyway, his only refuge from the people beyond. The soft shade from the buildings felt good on his hot skin; sweat beading up on his forehead. Removing his hat, he dabbed at his face, breathing out wearily as he drew his knees to his chest, eyes half lidded with disappointment. Even if he was nearing his nineteenth birthday, he still felt like he did as a child. Easily disappointed and easily frustrated. Despite his godly patience, he still couldn't help but find himself irritated when things didn't go exactly his way. The only good thing was that he didn't throw temper tantrums.

Besides his unluckiness in regards to finding Ganondorf, he at least had managed to get something to eat. But his wallet, strung to his belt at his hip, was starting to feel empty. He had checked to make sure, prior, that he had enough to rent a room for the night, but that would be it. One night.  
>He would have to go find a way to make some more money. Pursing his lips, Link's eye brows furrowed. It seemed that his repayment for keeping this land safe was just that. Keeping it safe. His lifetime would consist of saving Hyrule again and again with no relief, especially if Ganondorf or any other fiendish villain arose to try and take over. There was simply no one else eligible for the position.<p>

"I see you are rather bothered, Hero."

Link tensed up, recognizing the voice of the one he had been hunting for. Slowly, he looked up. There, at the edge of the alleyway leaning against the wall was the darkly-clad Gerudo, a smirk creasing smooth lips as a feral gleam entered those yellow eyes. Gritting his teeth, Link's previously sluggish, weary movements turned to fast and quick, the hero leaping to his feet as his hand reached back for his sword. But, surprisingly, he paused as the tan man lifted a hand as a sign of peace. Baffled, the blonde let his hand hover where it was as Ganondorf began to speak, voice as smooth as silk and sweet as honey. If the circumstances had been different Link might have found such a tone appealing, but coming from such a vile man it left a sick feeling in his stomach.

"I didn't come here to pester you into a fight in this city. No, that would be stupid, what with the multitude of people about." Ganondorf, lazily, looked around as if in observation. As though he were estimating how well the city's structure could withstand against his power. "I am merely here to commend your perseverance. Any other would have given up, but you have always remained so determined," the Gerudo chuckled, tone turning dark. Link, slowly, let his hand return to his side, but he kept decent distance from Ganondorf and kept his gaze steady, not about to be caught off his guards.

Ganondorf seemed to realize this, knowing just how much Link didn't trust him, but cared little for that fact. He was still speaking, and didn't plan on taunting Link's caution just yet. If at all, that is. "But, while I do appreciate your fierce determination, it is quite a dilemma in my big scheme of things." Giving a melodramatic sigh, the Gerudo King slowly strolled forward, Link immediately withdrawing the Master Sword, lips peeling back in a fierce snarl as he started to back up with each step that Ganondorf took forward. The taller man's smirk broadened into a grin at that, twin rows of pearly white blatant against his dark skin. "Why not simply join me? It would be a much more fruitful life than serving that princess of yours." Link tensed at this proposition, feeling every muscle in his being seize as he gazed as Ganondorf, trying to find the lie in his words or body language.

He saw none, left in a baffled silence as he merely gawked at the other man. Ganondorf seemed to realize that the blonde couldn't comprehend what he was offering, thus taking the opportunity to move swiftly forward. Taken aback by the sudden rapid movement, Link had little time to react, but he was surprised by the fact that Ganondorf wasn't attacking him. Instead, the sword was forced down to a lowered position so that it provided the Gerudo with no threat, though the man was careful to touch Link's gauntlet rather than the sword itself. He wasn't stupid and he didn't particularly want to scorch his hand. Giving Link that devilish smile that was practically his trademark by this point and time, Link felt chills ripple down his spine.

"I realize you are still surprised by my offer. So, I will give you time to think it over. Use this time wisely, I will find you again in a week's time," Ganondorf stated every word with emphasis and meaning. Leaning back, looking back behind himself thoughtfully. A light breeze picked up, teasing the fabric of his cape. "Stay in the city. You should be able to solve your money problem here." The Gerudo glanced back at Link, smirking. The blonde gaped, sputtering.  
>"W-wait, how did you know—?" Link began in confusion, but Ganondorf was already gone, turning around the alleyway. He still found it odd, how quick on his feet the larger man was. With that build of his, he would expect him to be slow and sluggish.<p>

His thoughts immediately went back to the situation at hand, remembering Ganondorf's order. Stay in the city for a week. Why should he?  
>The nagging voice at the back of his head scolded that he had to, if he planned on eliminating the foul man. Otherwise, he would have gotten right out of there, not wanting to be a part of Ganondorf's plans in any way. But maybe he could infiltrate them from the inside…?<br>Chewing over the idea in his thoughts, Link finally just sighed. One thing he knew was that it was getting dark and he needed to get to that inn before it was pitch black. He was exhausted and needed a bath, that the first thing on his list of priorities as he turned around and rediscovered the path back to where his temporary home for the week was.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE; ;**

DUN DUN DUUUN.

After a long-ish hiatus of blanking on how to proceed this story, I DISCOVERED SOMETHING! Huzzah! Anyways, my most sincere apologies for my absence. More apologies in my bio, but really, I am sorry ;_; School + Lack of inspiration = Zombie disappearing. At least this chapter provides a bit of substance! Heh. But, for those who care to review, what would you like to see in this story? Well, not an entire plotline of course, but like little tidbits and things you never see in any other stories. I may take a couple ideas into consideration, considering that this is kind of thing is rarely done and most plots are overused over and over. So, what do you guys never see and wouldn't mind seeing? C:


	7. Chapter 7

It had been exactly a week.

Each day dragged by in slow-motion, Link following a rapidly developing routine. Wake up, dress, check on Epona, pick up on whatever odd job was available to him, then return dead tired at the end of the day to sleep, only to repeat it again the following morning. Ganondorf, to Link's bitter surprise, had been correct about the money problem. It wasn't hard to scrape enough to get by in the city, Link managing to continue paying the innkeeper the due amount for his stay and to feed himself. It wasn't the temporary lifestyle that perturbed Link so greatly, though. Even as he sat at the edge of his messy bed, blankets drooping off the sides from his restless tossing and turning during the night, his brow was furrowed in concentration, deep blue eyes glossy with thought. It was that proposition of Ganondorf's that bothered him so.

With no one but himself to muse with as to whether or not he should accept, it was troublesome trying to come to a conclusion. The Princess would certainly know what to do. With her great wisdom, despite her youth, she would know what answer to give. At the remembrance of Zelda, Link felt his heart twist. He, for not the first time during his travels, felt home-sick. He missed his friends and he missed Zelda, the people he had been surrounded by since his initial journey to save Hyrule. But at the idea of facing Zelda after his failure, after losing so terribly to Ganondorf and allowing him to set up fortress elsewhere to begin his plotting again, Link stiffened. He couldn't face her. He felt too shameful for his defeat; he had been so foolish to just rush in expecting all the pieces to fall into place. No, they had done the opposite; shattering into tinier fragments and shooting off everywhere where they could never be found.

His hand, bare of its gauntlet, gripped the soft blankets angrily as he gritted his teeth. Frustration was unsightly of a Hero such as him. It was not proper for him to lose his temper like an agitated toddler, but he was precariously teetering on the edge of going crazy!

With a snarl, he suddenly flew to his feet, throwing the first solid thing he could grab onto at the wall. The Master Sword, the closest object that his fingers curled around, luckily only hit the wall hilt-first, rattling onto the ground, its racket the only thing filling the thick silence of the room now. Lost in sudden quiet, Link quivered faintly with anger, both on the bridge of tears and rage as his emotions roiled in his chest, too baffled to know what to do with himself.

Finally, the clarity he had been pining for cleared the fog in his mind as he sagged back onto the bed, leaving the sword where it was as his face was buried into the palms of his hands.

A murmur left his lips, so low it could nearly not be heard.

"I shall destroy the Evil King from the inside. I shall redeem myself."

-x—

Storm clouds brewed and churned over the citadel mounted up in the desert highlands, surrounded by jagged peaks once covered in snow, now by sand. While the thunderheads rumbled ominously, they set loose no rains, rather watching angrily from the heavens. The air thrummed with electricity and tension, thick with humidity.

Within the castle it was dark, once lit torches put out, leaving servants and ghouls alike to slip quietly through the shadows, trying to keep hidden from the greater beast deep within. As the storm mulled incessantly outside, meeting no conclusion, one man was bold enough to walk through the empty corridors unafraid.

But why be scared when you are the very monster everyone is afraid of?

Cape flickering behind him, Ganondorf paced the length of the hallway, feeling time tick slower and slower. It was an hour until he would return to Ambergates to see what Link's answer was, whether or not he would destroy the blonde right there depending on the Hero's response to the question he had asked a week prior. During the time he had been left to his own thoughts, it had become unwise for any of his creations or forced servants to get near him. Ganondorf had surprisingly found himself in a state of anxiety, a rare display of feeling that was usually kept hidden behind a composed persona. From cool and calculated, he had been quick to anger and his temper was short. Igniting his rage was like lighting a fuse, and the explosion tended to be worse than the fright of knowing what was coming next.

The castle had become a ghostly citadel with its lack of evident life forms, but Ganondorf knew it was brimming with his servants. His mind detected many of them hiding in their quarters or being quick to get their chores done as to avoid him, never staying in the same place for longer than a minute.

They were smart about how to keep their throats intact.

Unrealizing of the time, so deeply immersed in his thoughts, the deep, resounding chime of a clock within the bowels of the castle caused the plush, carpeted floors to quake faintly. Its bell recounted the time with each loud crash of golden-painted metal; midnight.

Witch hour.

Surely the Hero had waited long enough.

Anxiety quelling with the satisfaction of finally being able to leave the castle, Ganondorf turned his head towards the wall parallel to him. His golden cat-eyes narrowed, a hand lifting, fingertips pointed loosely to the wall. A purple abyss suddenly broke away the thick granite, the edges frayed strands of twisting, aggravated magic. In the far distance in the portal flickered an image of Ambergates, looking as though the sleepy, night-covered city was underwater with the image's wavering, rippling form. Smirking, Ganondorf slowly walked into the portal of his creation, the hole closing up sluggishly until he was entirely in, sealing itself to leave behind the smooth black wall untouched.

-x—

Sleep was a hard thing for Link, especially on this day.

Or, rather, night.

Tossing and turning in his bed, sheets crumpled around his slim, albeit muscled, legs, Link looked out from the messy blonde locks that were splayed across his face as he peered out through the neighboring window. The crescent moon was mounted high in the sky, bathing the city in partial moonlight, leaving behind a breathtaking view that was something most would treasure. Link, on the other hand, found himself unable to appreciate its beauty when so restless. Why had Ganondorf not shown up today? Had he forgotten about him, or was he purposefully being so late in order to aggravate him?

If it was the latter, it was most certainly working.

Giving up on the concept of sleep, Link laid fully on his back as he stared blankly up at the ceiling. It was marked with wear, displaying the age of the inn. It was old and weary, no longer as youthful and strong as it had once been.

And despite his plentiful rest, that was how Link felt.

Tired and exhausted, desperately in need of a break from life. He was so young, nearing his eighteenth birthday, and yet he felt beyond his years.

Sighing, Link closed his eyes, only to pause.

He heard frantic, anxious whinnying outside, and while on any other occasion he might have ignored it, he listened close. It sounded much like Epona's calls, though instead of the soft, gentle whickers and playful neighs, each cry was shrill and panicked.

In a moment he had flown out of bed, tugging on his legs and putting on his undershirt, its sleeves enough protection against the nightly chill. Quietly, as to not disturb the other occupants of the inn, he slipped out of his room and eased down the stairs. Once outside of the inn, he raced for the horse stalls.

Finding it vacant of anyone to care for the animals, he was reassured, at least, by the lit lanterns that drove the shadows away.

Entering, quietly closing the door behind him, Link walked down the central aisle as he searched for Epona. It wasn't hard, for she had been reduced to a fit of snorts and anxious nickering when she saw him, no longer screaming for his attention. Glad to see she wasn't hurt, at least, Link immediately reached out, cupping her muzzle in his hands as he soothingly stroked down her face.

"What is wrong, girl?" implored Link quietly, meeting her wild brown eyes with his own blue ones in confusion, the mare unable to hold contact for long as her eyes rolled.

She ground her teeth together and stamped her hooves, her entire body quaking. About to try and calm the seemingly unreasonably panicked horse down, Link froze, a sharp wind suddenly rushing through the stable.

All the doors were closed, the source of the wind unknown as it blew out the lanterns, Epona going berserk; the mare screaming as she reeled back on her hindlegs, forelegs lashing in a frenzy.

Too close, Link realized his mistake when Epona's hoof came flying for his head, the Hylian throwing up his arms to protect himself all too slowly and—

An arm suddenly hooked itself around his waist, jerking him out of harm's way as Epona's legs instead crashed into the stall door, splintering the wood even though it otherwise held. The other horses stirred and began to make a fuss, the chaos rousing them to action as they shifted nervously in their stalls. Beyond that, it was only Epona that twisted and turned in her stall, the mare unknowing of her master's shock at nearly being given brain damage by his beloved steed.

And who was the one that had saved him?

While hoping it was just a stable boy that had popped on in to check on the horses, Link recognized that this was most likely untrue. As he slowly looked up to see who was the one holding him, keeping him from falling to the ground as he gathered his burdens, he saw this definitely was not an option.

Brilliantly white teeth flashed against a darkly tanned face, yellow eyes gleaming devilishly as Ganondorf looked at the boy he had saved from a good concussion, and maybe even death.

"Hello, Hero," purred the Gerudo, Link realizing their position seconds later.

Ganondorf had him cradled partially in his arms like he was some damsel in distress, this sending a particular fury rushing through him as Link tore away. Nonetheless, this anger did not prevent an embarrassed flush to highlight his cheeks.

"A little late, aren't you?" snapped Link, huffing as he went back to Epona to stroke her muzzle soothingly, the mare reduced to slight shaking but otherwise calming.

"My apologies, Hero. I hadn't realized you had anticipated me so I had let you have the day to yourself," Ganondorf consoled him, voice sugary and sending an unwanted chill down Link's spine as his face cooled from its blush.

"You seemed like you didn't want to see me for much longer than just a week, not as though you wanted me to come the next day."

Link grunted, giving no other reply beyond that.

Ganondorf merely carried on speaking, behaving quite casually in comparison to how uptight the blonde had become, Epona seeing this as she nuzzled the hero's hand.

"So, have you come to a decision, Hero? Or are you just going to stand there and soothe your horse all night long?"

Link flinched, having not wanted to decide so immediately. Couldn't they chat over a couple cups of tea, talk about how lovely the weather had been lately?

Then again, he didn't know if he could stand being in the man's presence for so long.

With Ganondorf behaving so politely, almost bordering on _friendly_, Link didn't know what to do with himself anymore.

Should he hate this man, or begrudgingly respect him?

Silent for a long moment, he resigned himself to patting Epona on her well-muscled neck one last time before slowly turning to the Gerudo. He was leaning back against the stable wall, arms folded over his broad, armor-clad chest and his lips quirked in a smirk.

His eyes were crinkled in a laughing smile, causing Link to grit his teeth.

How dare he mock his indecisiveness!

Humiliation once more rose to the forefront of his mind, but just as quickly Link brushed it away. Not wanting to look so uncertain, Link straightened up even more so.

"Yes, I have."

He paused for a moment for added effect, though it didn't look like Ganondorf cared much. Either way he would be getting his answer.

Finding the words harder than he had initially expected to choke out, Link finally found himself capable of spitting them out.

But when he spoke them, he could not meet Ganondorf's eyes, feeling guilty about what he was doing to Zelda, even if he knew it was all in the name of sabotaging Ganondorf from the inside. It was all for Hyrule and only for Hyrule.

"I will join you."

It was a whisper, hardly able to be heard over the horses' low chatter, but Ganondorf's keen ears picked up on it.

A wide grin spread those lips of the Gerudo's, a deep chuckle rumbling in his chest.

"I knew you had a good head on those shoulders of yours, Hero. Or should I just call you by your name now… Link?"

Link twitched when Ganondorf spoke his name, finding it to be surprisingly condescending when coming out of that foul mouth. But at the same time, there was almost an affectionate connotation with it, baffling him as blue eyes turned up to meet gold.

What was truly going on in that villainous mind?

There was no time to ask, Ganondorf already turning away, Link confused as the man opened the stable door to leave.

"Wait, where are you going?"

Ganondorf looked back, finding Link bearing the appearance of a lost child, wondering why their parent was leaving for work rather than staying home with them.

Was that loneliness he saw in those eyes?  
>He could not tell, but the Gerudo smiled nonetheless.<p>

"I am a busy man, Link. I will return to you at the morning's light."

And with that he was gone, Link left standing alone with Epona gently rubbing her muzzle against his shoulder, the hero no more left to his own thoughts.

For once, he wished for Ganondorf's company to fill the empty silence.


	8. Chapter 8

Morning arrived too slowly, a surprising factor for Link. He had anticipated it to arrive promptly, for it to lighten his rented room with its unwanted glow. With it, it brought a new life for him, albeit temporary, so long as he waited for his chance to strike. But until the moment he could plunge the Master Sword through the muscled chest of his foe, Ganondorf would still walk, and Link would be at his side as an ally. As the young Hylian lay in bed, his half-lidded eyes observed the creases and cracks in the wall beyond, its sign of wear and tear. Every detail was mapped out and imprinted upon his mind, as though it would be worthy enough to remember. Yet it was nothing more than a miniscule thing. This inn would eventually fade out of his memory bank, unnoticed and unrecognized if he ever were to return to Ambergates. Heck, it might even look entirely foreign, a new place to explore.

The coo of mourning doves filtered in through the thin glass of his window, their loving chatter fitting for the lovely morning. The sun was full and bright, the sky a deep blue, and not a single cloud flitting through the heavens. Ruffled blonde locks obscured Link's vision of the activity beyond the inn, not that he cared. While the hour was early, life was bustling, as was to be expected in a big city such as this.

Begrudgingly stumbling out of bed, his reluctance was evident as Link prepared himself to face the day as quickly as possible, even as his feet dragged. He bathed, put on fresh clothes, and piled up all of his belongings. This was his last day at the inn, and he felt no remorse in leaving it. At the same time, he would rather remain instead of going to the wretched homestead of Ganondorf. A gauntlet-clad palm brushed against the made bed, Link shouldering his small bag containing everything he owned during his travels, aside from the items stashed away in Epona's saddlebags. Lingering for a moment longer, the former hero turned his back on the spruced-up room, quietly shutting the door behind himself with a forlorn click.

-x-

As much as he would have favored waiting for perhaps an hour or so, Link found that such a possibility was not in his future. Heart sinking with dismay, a bitter sense of jealousy entered him as he looked at Ganondorf and Epona. It so appeared the Gerudo had enticed the mare, normally loyal to only her master, into enjoying his company as well, the rust-colored horse daintily taking part of a carrot out of his open palm. Ganondorf, noticing Link emerge from the inn, smiled over at him in a friendly manner that took Link aback. He was so accustomed to the cold sneers and cocky smirks that tamed those dark lips, thus seeing such a warm expression was baffling. Epona whickered to her master over her treat, shaking her head as she tossed her mane about.

"I had wondered if you were to show, Link," chuckled Ganondorf as he patted the muscled neck of the mare, Epona acknowledging him with a snort, now finished with her snack and losing interest fast. But despite this lack, she remained comfortably at the King's flank, observing Link's approach with innocent brown eyes. Tempted to glare at her for her betrayal, Link instead focused his attention upon Ganondorf. His expression did not bear as much friendliness as his newfound ally, rather seems rather set in a borderline gloomy look. But he held firm, managing a slight smile.

"I had wanted to pay the innkeeper a little extra for keeping me, so I had stuck around longer than I expected. Sorry," he apologized in an uneasy chuckle, not knowing how well he would get used to this. Speaking in such a friendly manner to a man who was supposed to be his enemy.  
>No, he reminded himself silently.<br>Ganondorf remained his enemy, even if he had formed a momentary truce, even if the Gerudo did not realize this fact. Soon he would annihilate him, wipe him from the face of this country and let peace wash over it once more. Zelda would be proud of him.

Reassured by the thought, Link put on a more so believable smile, stepping up to Epona as he patted her snout. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a large stallion tied to a nearby post, recognizing it as Ganondorf's own steed. Apparently, he had not come only on foot. The horse was pitch black, its hooves gleaming with new, silver horseshoes and its eyes a blazing red, just a hue off from the red-orange of its mane and tail, resembling a blazing fire. It was large enough to be suitable for the larger man, and its ferocious look just as fitting. Link shivered at the feral, predator gleam to the horse's eyes, turning back to look into the cat-like irises of Ganondorf.

But there, he did not find that predatory hunger. Rather, it was… Warmth?  
>He did not remark upon it, leaving it be.<br>All of these strange changes were most likely just being procured from the baffled part of his brain, unable to accept what was happening. He doubted that such a look would arrive from Ganondorf.

Fingers curling around the mare's reins, he gave the older man a tight smile.  
>"I'm ready to go when you are."<br>Expecting some kind of magical portal to whisk them off to wherever Ganondorf was taking residence, the Gerudo man, yet again, surprised Link as he instead headed to the horse that was waiting for him.  
>"Good. Then we shall be departing now," decided Ganondorf, untying the reins from the sturdy, wooden post as he hefted himself in a smooth, graceful motion onto the back of his own horse. The man, as he should, being of royal blood, held himself in a regal manner. Link felt insignificant compared to the older as he stood place in Epona's saddle, settling himself in as he clucked for her to move, the mare trotting over to the stallion's side, clearly acquainted the horse already.<p>

Ganondorf spared Link a glance, a look of thought flickering across his expression. The look was gone too fast for Link to register what the man was thinking, the Gerudo stirring his stallion into motion, melting into the crowds as Link urged Epona to follow suit.

This would be a strange and peculiar trip.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

Sorry for the lack of a remark last chapter, I had been very tired and hadn't thought much beyond writing xD; I do appreciate the feedback and love I have been getting for this story, you guys that are following me, whether you review or not, are the reason why I update! Prepare yourselves for some interesting traveling scenes, because I'm going to do this fic's title proud. C;

**~XOXO ZOMBIE**


	9. Chapter 9

Traveling was slow.

Slower than what Link would particularly like.

For two days and two nights, he and his newfound companion found in Ganondorf kept to the road. It was exhausting but not that he would be so vocal as to protest about it. Yet, as he looked at how weary Epona was, Link knew he would have to speak up soon. She looked close to collapsing, even though Ganondorf's unearthly beast of a stallion looked nowhere near her condition. Link even dared to make the judgment that he looked fresh out of the gate, flaming orange eyes gleaming bright and constantly gnawing at the bit in his mouth in energetic anticipation of going for a run.  
>Link had the feeling that if trusted with such a wild horse he wouldn't be able to restrain him, while Ganondorf on the other hand handled the stallion quite well. When the black horse were to jerk his head in aggravation and try to move at a brisker pace, he was given less rein, the thin leather wrapped tightly around Ganondorf's clenched hands.<br>Eventually, the horse would settle and he would be given more room to move his head.

Epona showed no signs of struggle or any eager desire to move any faster than the pace they had established. Ears sagging to the sides of her head, which hung low, her loving brown eyes had lost their gleam due to exhaustion. The mare's hooves looked weighted with how she picked them up only to let them drop without the grace she normally carried in her gait. Constantly, Link slipped off of her back to give her a break from carrying him, but even that didn't seem to do much.

And when he looked to Ganondorf to summon forth words of suggestion, the silent look he was greeted by from the other man smothered any such ideas of conversation. It was hard to read into what the Gerudo man was feeling, with his stone-cold eyes flickering with yellow fire that bore no warmth, his expression void of emotion. It was as though he were locked in a state of neutrality, unnerving Link and rendering him speechless. He didn't even know what to say about this situation overall.

Being taken beneath Ganonodrf's wing had occurred hardly in a few moments. One second he was settling with joining his side, and the next he was gripping Epona's reins as he walked alongside Ganondorf and his own steed, his dusty boots sending up puffs of dry soil from the dirt road they followed. The country was full of hills, the road they kept to long and winding, like a snake. Livestock wandered aimlessly through fields of green, grazing under the watchful eyes of their shepherd and googling the two passerbies with their own blank stares. Children observed the two foreigners walk by with their wide, curious eyes from gaping farm house doorways, especially enraptured by the man in green for his foreign clothing.

But if they had been able to lay eyes upon Ganondorf, perhaps they would have been more interested in him. The man hadn't been keen on leaving his cloak off despite the weather not being terribly cold, keeping his head and face well-hidden. While not very well known in these parts, Ganondorf was wary of being revealed and attacked. Drawing attention to himself was the last thing he needed.

Link ponderously gazed at the man in curiosity. He hadn't quite realized how meticulous Ganondorf was until being set in his company. Everything had to be perfect, everything put carefully into action. From a savage tyrant with no coordination, Link realized him to be quite more intelligent than he tended to reveal in his plans.

Catching his eye, Ganondorf looked over with a raised brow, Link blinking before his face flushed with humiliation at being caught, quickly looking away. Unseen by the red-faced blonde, Ganondorf smirked. Link's curious observations hadn't gone unnoticed over the time spent together, despite how conversation lacked. Occasionally, Ganondorf would catch him lost in thought, especially when his eyes were locked on the horse he rode. The black stallion was certainly an admirable beast, flaming red mane and tail catching in the wind to flicker like actual fire. Each stride was full of pride, his head lifted up with arrogance. His haughty personality showed bright like the morning sun, something that had compelled Ganondorf to make him his own to begin with. As sassy as the horse could be, he was useful in battle and eager to partake in nearly anything. Full of energy, he was of better quality, in Ganondorf's mind, material in comparison to Link's own mare, Epona.  
>She was nice and loyal, yes, but tired easily. His own horse could go on for days more with just a few mouthfuls of grass and water.<p>

Then again, the stallion had been born in the deserts of Gerudo, made to be hardy and to endure everything that faced him. Epona was more than likely bred from some old farm horses.

"Ganondorf we should stop to rest."

Disturbed from his thoughts, the Gerudo man looked back down upon Link, who refused to meet his gaze. The Hylain's cheeks were still highlighted with faint red, but his expression had sturdied from its surprised look. Expecting Ganondorf to fully deny the idea of stopping, Link had to hide his shock when the older man shrugged.

"Fine. Your horse looks as though it needs the rest, and it is getting dark," agreed Ganonodrf, slipping from the saddle of his stallion, who snorted in protest. He wanted to go for a run, feeling as though he could stretch his legs for miles. But Ganondorf, clasping the reins firmly, merely clucked his tongue commandingly and his horse followed him closely, Link patting Epona's neck soothingly as he tentatively followed after. Ganondorf looked like he knew where to go.

-x-

And that Ganondorf did, Link finding himself cozy around a well-made fire as darkness shrouded the soft blue sky, turning it an inky black with glittering chips of ice known as 'stars'. The moon gleamed brilliant silver, nothing more than a half of its full sphere and cast some pale light, but it was not strong enough to chase the shadows away. Epona and Ganondorf's horse were tied up nearby, having already been fed and watered, left to sleep while their masters silently gazed into the flickering flames of the campfire.

Allies or not, the barrier in between the men was obvious. Bed rolls set up on either side of the flames, they were set as far as possible from one another. Even where they presently sat near the fire spoke their differences loud and clear, Ganondorf and Link nowhere in the other's proximity. Mulling over his predicament and wondering how he would go about sabotaging the Evil King, Link was startled when hearing his foe speak.  
>It seemed like Ganondorf tended to take him off guard all too often.<p>

"You do not look particularly thrilled, Link," Ganondorf noted, a touch of dark humor to his voice. Link's eyes remained trained on the fire, not speaking, but Ganondorf merely carried on. "You will have to get used to this soon enough. I realize that you may hold some attachment still to the princess and the kingdom, but trust me. If they both mean to you so much, I will leave both intact."  
>Still lacking a response, but seeing a brighter shine to Link's eyes at the prospect of his guilt being lessened by the concept of Ganondorf showing more mercy, he smirked.<br>"While I may be no man of heroics, I know better than to destroy what shall be mine. A land can be ruled by an iron fist and a reasonable mind."

On the inside, Link figured that if his plan failed, that at least Ganondorf wouldn't be burning everything to the ground. That was the cause of the relieved look to his eyes, which slowly turned up towards the Gerudo King. Legs drawn to his chest and his chin resting upon his knees, he frowned.  
>"What are your intentions, Ganondorf?" Link implored, referring to Ganondorf's apparent future rule.<br>Ganondorf smiled.

"My people for too long have sweltered in the unforgiving desert, not able to neither see the green grass of Hyrule nor drink from the gentle waters of the Zora's River. And many other races, hidden in the shadows, have been forced to endure the hardships of harsh living conditions while Hyruleans and those living with them have enjoyed what they have been blessed with, taking it for granted. I desire to create equality among the races, or else watch my people die under the hot sun alongside those other hidden races."  
>Link was taken aback, having expected something less honorable such as simply world domination or the satisfaction of total leadership over the lands. But no, Ganonodrf apparently desired something more than that, deeper beyond such shallow concepts of complete takeover. Unexpected, Link felt his heart soften, a piece of him reconsidering the villain this man had been made out to be when excluding his evil deeds to get where he was.<br>Though before he could muse on the thought, Ganonodrf yawned, sharp eye teeth glinting in the firelight.

"It is late, and you must be more exhausted than I," Ganondorf figured, standing up as he moved towards his established side of the campsite. "It is best that we sleep. Good night."  
>Conversation ended abruptly, Link was put to silence for a moment, before slowly nodding as he went to his own bedroll.<p>

"Yes… Good night."

-x-

Travel was put on hold the next day, much to Link's pleasure. Instead, they visited the local town to replenish supplies, Epona allowed to rest in the stables there while Ganondorf's own stallion served as their temporary pack mule, not that the horse seemed to care. Saddle bags brimming with vegetables and fruits alongside dried meats as they walked silently through the marketplace to find some medical supplies, Link peered curiously over at Ganonodrf, who led along his black stallion in silence.  
>"… What is his name?" Link asked almost timidly, finding the question more so on the embarrassing side as he looked to Ganonodrf. When their eyes met, Link's cheeks grew red as they seemed to always do whenever he felt he had done something stupid, as though thinking Ganondorf would scold him for his idiotic question as he looked away. But instead, Ganondorf merely chuckled and affectionately patted the muscled neck of his stallion, who snorted in acknowledgement.<br>"Roraon is his name."

Link mused over the foreign-sounding name before nodding, managing to smile back at the other man. But, of course it was forced! He definitely wasn't warming up to Ganondorf… Was he?  
>"It fits him. It sounds proud," Link decided, Ganondorf's expression seeming to warm.<br>"Yes, it does fit him like that," the Gerudo man agreed, smiling at Roraon, Link turning his own eyes away as to not be caught staring in awe at seeing the other man smile in such a sincere manner. Ganondorf was a vile, evil man that deserved no justice. He had no heart and no soul, as worthless as a pig.

…  
>Wasn't he?<p>

**Author's Note;;**

Another day, another chapter.  
>Or should I say another month and a half? xD Thank you guys for sticking through this mess of a story, I promise that this filler will actually lead up to something real intense soon. Hopefully.<br>Perhaps some confusing mess of emotions and awkward confessions… Maybe c;  
>If there are any errors, my sincere apologies. I always upload these late at night when I am so exhausted I can't think straight D;<br>Perhaps I should get a beta.  
>Maybe.<p> 


	10. A Return to Old Things

**Author's Note;;**

Goodness, it has been a long time since I really looked at this piece of writing, or at least it feels like it. I haven't updated this thing in over a year and yet people keep sporadically following it, though I have no idea why.

The writing is old and I feel like I've improved since then, though I've been too busy to bother polishing this on-going story or even continuing it.

But with every email sent to my inbox, I feel a bit more inclined to try and pick this back up, though where to start?

This is more so my own personal ramblings, but I want to post this up to show every person who has decided to put some vague hope into this story by following it that hey, I'm alive! Summer is just around the corner and I've been contemplating getting back to my fanfictions, but like my previous statement… Where to start?  
>I need to reread through these chapters especially, and I might even revamp this entire thing if I feel like it is that bad.<p>

Which it just might be, it has been that long since I looked at it.

To my followers, I have a request:

I would love to hear your opinions and voices on this! To even have someone help proof read and work it out would be appreciated, and I'd be more than happy to do the same in return. This summer I'm going to be busy, but this is something I want to try and kick back to life. If someone could step forward and lend a helping hand, I would be eternally grateful!

In finality, as I wrap up this message, I want to thank everyone that found interest in this old story of mine. I might not have come back to it without the positive feedback and support I've received to this day.

Hopefully expect a new chapter from me soon within the next month or so.

That's my goal.

- Zombie


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